Cell Phones: Leave them alone while you're driving!!

       Cell phones are such great items. They make life so much more convenient and allow one to keep track of family, friends, and work while on the go. Over the years, cell phones have become more popular due to the variety of styles, features, their portability, and customization abilities. All in all, the cell phone is an amazing tool. Yet, regardless of how great they are, they can be an enormous distraction, especially while driving. It is estimated that 1 in 20 automobile accidents are linked to cell phone usage. Can you imagine? That is so devastating! The lesson here is to make sure to put your cell phones away while driving or at least ignore the call, text, or notification until you pull over to the side of the road or have reached your destination to then give the cell phone your full attention. That split second that you may take to answer a call , while your eyes were on the screen of the cell phone and not on the road, a terrible accident can occur. Is it worth it? I think not. Cell phones are wonderful, but the tragedy they can cause is not worth their awesomeness.
                      

Vocabulary
Convenient- easy to access.

Customization- to be able to make your own through your personal preferences.

Variety- different types of something.

Enormous- big.

Distraction- something that takes your attention away from something else.

Estimated- approximately; a guess.

Devastating- chaos, unhappiness, and/or grief.

Tragedy- a sad, horrible, event.

Grammar Point
In the above paragraph, there are many verbs, nouns, and adjectives; they are used in the present and future tenses. Can you find three of each?

Grammar Activity: Let's Practice
Write a sentence using each of the vocabulary words. For example: I went to the candy shop yesterday with my grandpa and there were a variety of candies, chocolates, and other treats. Your sentence can be simple or like the above example, more complex. It is alright to do simple sentences, however, challenge yourself to create at least one complex, longer sentence. Make sure to read your sentences aloud to yourself to be sure they make sense when you speak as well as when you read them.

Technology: Something new everyday!

        We are in the midst of a technological boom. It seems that everyday, there is something newer and better than the present cell phone, television, tablet, or laptop before it. It's so hard to keep track. I remember when cell phones were hardly the latest accessory; most people did not have them not even 10 years ago, now even children have them. And how they have changed! My dad asked me to send a text for him on his flip phone a few days ago, I did not realize how much I'd gotten used to my spiffy touch screen phone until I began pressing the buttons on his; now his phone seems archaic! Computers have not only become more portable and  accessible, but lighter in weight, sleeker in looks, and smarter with the ability to do more than the older laptops and the desktops that were staple to most homes 10+ years ago. Tablets like the iPad offer many of the features of a computer, yet weigh very little and are extremely portable. The generation of today have so much technology available to them that they do not even know what a phone book is or how to use it. Why should they when they can simply Google it? Televisions are slimmer and the picture is clearer than ever before; some brands even offer 3D tv's! Technology has made life so much simpler yet complicated at the same time because many struggle to keep up. However, how can you when every few months, something different is released? Now that so many of us are so used to it, can we ever live without it again? If it were to be taken away from us, would we go through withdrawal as people do when they're being weaned off of something they're addicted to? We are technological people, there is no doubt about it, and in time, we will only become more engrossed in the items of the future and leave the ones of today in the past. Technology is a part of us and will continue to be so for centuries to come.

Vocabulary
Technological-advances in technology.

Accessory- an article that is complimentary to a person's style.

Spiffy- smart and new.

Archaic- old and/or ancient.

Portable- something that can be easily carried around.

Accessible- easy to reach.

Google- a search engine on the Internet.


Engrossed- something that completely occupies a persons attention.

Grammar Point
There are many nouns in the paragraph above. Remember, a noun is a person, place, thing or idea. Can you find ten nouns in the story?

Creative Writing Activity
Write a paragraph about what technology means to you. Include at least four of the vocabulary words in your writing. Also, think about what technology means for the world and how our world is changing because of it.

What a great BIG world!

                                          
         There have been lots of times where I have daydreamed of traveling to other countries. The world consists of so many different places, people, cuisines, cultures, and climates that I just want to visit them all. Many people never even leave the country they were born in; some, if they live in America, may never leave the state in which they live! It is sad to think that there is so much out there to behold and many people will never have the chance to see even a snippet of it. I have been to only a few countries so far: England, France, and Guyana, yet, it is my dream that one day I may have the opportunity to visit many more regions all around our awesome globe. There is so much to see and experience and I can only imagine the excitement future travels hold for me. I look forward to the people I will meet, the places I will see, the foods I will taste, the memories I will make, and the inspiration I will gain while doing something that will give me great joy: seeing the world.

Vocabulary
Daydream- similar to dreaming while asleep, but to do so while awake, usually a pleasant thought.

Consists- made up of.

Cuisines- different styles of cooking and different types of foods.

Climate- different types of weather in different parts of the world (Example: When it is winter in America, it is summer in Australia.)

Behold- to look at or see something or someone.

Snippet- a small piece.

Opportunity- to have a/the chance to be able to do something.

Experience- something a person has done or may do in the future.

Inspiration- a positive impact or influence.

Synonyms
A synonym is a word that has a meaning that is similar to another word. For example, easy and simple basically mean the same thing. See if you can find the synonyms below. The vocabulary words are in the Row 1 and the synonyms are in Row 2.

Row 1                                                                                                    Row 2
Daydream                                                                                              Watch

Consists                                                                                                  Encounter                                                                    

Cuisines                                                                                                  Imagine

Climate                                                                                                   Fragment/Small

Behold                                                                                                   Contain

Snippet                                                                                                   Food

Opportunity                                                                                            Motivation

Experience                                                                                             Temperature

Inspiration                                                                                              Chance